Texas Border Business
WESLACO, Texas – The Weslaco Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has completed its Fiscal Year 2024–2025 with strong performance across key economic sectors, continued infrastructure improvements, and expanded support for local businesses. The year’s results reinforce Weslaco’s position as a regional center for steady growth, entrepreneurship, and community investment.
During FY 2024–2025, the Weslaco EDC managed 22 active projects across the retail, industrial, technology, and small business sectors. These efforts resulted in 155 new jobs and $13.7 million in capital investment within the city. These figures do not include ongoing projects such as Sam’s Club and Palm Plaza, which are already contributing millions of dollars in additional capital investment and creating numerous new jobs in the City of Weslaco.
Alongside capital development efforts, the Weslaco EDC placed a strong emphasis on human capital development. During the fiscal year, more than 31 local businesses strengthened their operations through Weslaco EDC-supported training and workforce programs, representing a combined investment of $81,222 across workforce training and business development initiatives.
In total, the Weslaco EDC supported 53 projects during the fiscal year, including capital investment projects, business grants, and workforce training initiatives. Although investment trends across the nation have been cautious, Weslaco maintained consistent growth through successful industrial projects and retail revitalization efforts.
Empowering Small Business Through Human Capital
Beyond capital development projects, the Weslaco EDC expanded direct support programs aimed at strengthening small businesses and workforce capabilities.
The Weslaco EDC’s Business Marketing Grant Program continued its mission to support local businesses by providing financial assistance for innovative marketing efforts. Through this initiative, 15 small businesses received a total of $15,000 to invest in digital advertising, online promotions, and media outreach. The program helps enhance visibility, increase customer engagement, and enhance brand recognition for businesses across Weslaco. Recipients included restaurants, beauty service providers, and specialty retailers that utilized the grant to improve their online presence and reach new audiences.
The Weslaco EDC further expanded its focus on training and education by partnering with the UTRGV Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center to bring the nationally recognized Kauffman FastTrac® Program to Weslaco. Through this program, seven local companies completed a seven-week business development course designed to equip entrepreneurs with the tools, resources, and knowledge needed to strengthen management practices, improve financial literacy, and enhance operational planning. The Weslaco EDC invested $10,000 to make this opportunity available to Weslaco businesses.
Workforce development efforts also included a partnership with South Texas College, through which nine Weslaco employers participated in the Weslaco EDC funded workforce training partnership, representing a total investment of $56,222 and benefiting more than 312 employees through reskilling and upskilling. Through this program, employees received targeted training in areas such as computer skills, supervisory development, customer service, and industry-specific competencies. The courses are tailored to employer needs and offered at no cost to participating businesses, helping companies strengthen their workforce and improve productivity. This investment supports reskilling and upskilling across multiple industries, ensuring Weslaco’s labor force remains adaptable and prepared for changing market demands.
Building on the Façade and Weslaco 100 Grant Programs
The Façade Improvement Program continued to support citywide revitalization efforts, with eight completed projects ranging from exterior painting and landscaping to parking lot improvements and updated doors and windows. Projects included Winter Texan Home Sales 2, Mid Valley Office Supply, South Town Plaza, Mister Transmission, and Ameriprise Financial.
The Weslaco 100 Grant Program, which focuses on code-related improvements primarily in Weslaco’s historic downtown, supported projects such as Renata’s Event Center 2 and New Venture 2.0 (300 N. Texas Blvd.). These improvements reinforce older buildings, enhance safety, and support long-term business activity in the city’s core.
Together, these programs contributed to improved aesthetics, increased property investment, and sustained interest from new and existing businesses.
A Vision for Continued Growth
The Weslaco EDC plans to build on this year’s progress by expanding partnerships, modernizing incentives, and advancing infrastructure projects throughout 2026. Efforts will continue to prioritize high-value industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and technology, while maintaining strong support for small businesses and emerging entrepreneurs.
“Our mission goes beyond numbers. It’s about ensuring Weslaco continues to thrive as a place where businesses, workers, and families can succeed,” said Sandra Charlton, President of the Weslaco EDC. “We are proud of the progress made this year and look forward to building on this momentum in 2026 and beyond.”
